Edward Fairfax

Verse

Eclogue: Hermes and Lycaon
('The sweatie sith-man wth his rasor keene')

First published in Miscellanies of the Philobiblon Society, 12 (London, 1868-9), No. 4, ed. Clements R. Markham. Ed. William Grainge in Edward Fairfax, Daemonologia (Harrogate, 1882; reprinted London, 1971), pp. 181-9. Lea & Gang, pp. 665-75.

FaE 1

Copy, headed An Egloge maide by my vncle Mr Ed: Fairfax in a Dialoge betwixt two sheapards.

In: A quarto verse miscellany entitled The Imployment of my Solitude, ii + 734 pages.

Compiled by Thomas Fairfax (1612-71), third Lord Fairfax of Cameron, Parliamentary general.

c.1660-70.

Once owned by Ralph Thoresby (1658-1725), Yorkshire antiquary and topographer. Bookplate of Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex (1773-1843). Sold at the sale of his library at Evans's, 31 July 1844, lot 436 to William Pickering. Then owned by the Rev. Philip Bliss (1787-1857), antiquary and book collector.

Edited from this MS by all editors.

Eclogue IV: Eglon and Alexis
('Whilst, on the rough, and Heath-strew'd Wilderness')

First published in Elizabeth Cooper, The Muses Library (London, 1737), pp. 364-76. Lea & Gang, pp. 654-64. The premiminary verses published in Atterbury Correspondence, III, 255-69.

FaE 1.2

Copy, in a rounded italic hand, with prefatory verses (four lines in Latin beginning Et Phoebum, castasque doces, Fairfaxe, Sorores and four lines in English beginning Apollo, and the Muses taught by thee), imperfect, lacking the first five stanzas, here beginning at line 31, Sufficeth to each Man his owne mishap. Mid-late-17th century

In: A collection of state tracts and verse, in various professional hands (including the Feathery Scribe), now bound in two volumes, Vol. I comprising 249 leaves (plus blanks), Vol. II 247 leaves (plus blanks), each in modern half-morocco gilt.

Among the collections of Thomas Tenison (1636-1715), Archbishop of Canterbury.

Briefly described in Peter Beal, In Praise of Scribes: Manuscripts and their Makers in Seventeenth-Century England (Oxford, 1998), p. 349 (No. 75).

Edited from this MS and discussed in N.L. Green, Edward Fairfax's Fourth Eclogue: Lost and Found, RES, NS 52, No. 207 (August 2001), 331-40.

FaE 1.5

The preliminary verses only quoted in a letter by Edward Fairfax's great-nephew, Brian Fairfax, to Bishop Atterbury. 12 March 1704/5.

In: A folio composite volume of correspondence of Bishop Atterbury. Mid-late 18th century.

Edited from this MS in Atterbury Correspondence, III, 255-69. Quoted in Lea & Gang, p. 649.

Eclogue the Eighth. Ida and Opilio
('Bright may this riseing beame on Ida shine!')

First published in W.W. Greg, Fairfax Eighth Eclogue, MLQ, 4 (1901), 85-91, and additional notes in 6 (1903), 73-4. Reprinted in Greg, Collected Papers (Oxford, 1966), 29-43. Lea & Gang, pp. 676-89.

FaE 2

Copy, in a neat italic hand, headed Ecloga Octava Ida and Opilio, on two folio leaves. Early 17th century.

In: A folio composite volume of verse, written by or relating to members of the Fairfax family, in various hands and paper sizes, 156 leaves, in modern half-morocco.

In Cochran's sale catalogue for 1837. Purchased from H. Bohn, 26 September 1840.

Edited from this MS in Greg and in Lea & Gang.

Epitaph on Lady Fairfax
('Here Lea's Fruitfulness, and Rachel's beauty')

A couplet first published in Lea & Gang (1981), p. 691.

FaE 2.3

Copy of the couplet, headed On my grandmother at Otley, by my uncle, Edward Fairfax, quoted in a 19th-century quarto copy of a letter by Brian Fairfax (1633-1711), scholar and courtier, to his chiildren.

In: A large folio composite volume of papers relating to Berkshire, in various hands and paper sizes, 444 leaves, mounted on guards, in half brown morocco.

Collected by John Richards, Jr, FSA. Subsequently Volume XXXIV of the topographical collections of Francis Joseph Baigent (1830-1918), antiquary.

Presented by H.E. Cardinal F.A. Gasquet.

Edited from this MS in Lea & Gang.

FaE 2.5

Extract.

In: A volume of material relating to the Fairfax family (Analecta Fairfaxiana).

Compiled principally by Charles Fairfax (1597-1673), and owned also by Henry Fairfax, Dean of Norwich.

c.1661.
Epitaph upon King James
('All that have eyes now wake and weep')

Lea & Gang, pp. 690-1.

See MoG 1-54.

Godfrey of Bulloigne
('I sing the warre made in the Holy land')

First published in London, 1600. Ed. R. Weiss (Carbondale, 1962). Ed. Lea & Gang (1981).

See also FaE 2.9.

FaE 2.8

Extract.

In: A folio volume of material relating to the Fairfax family (Analecta Fairfaxiana).

Largely written in the hand of Charles Fairfax (1597-1673).

Phillipps MS. Fairfax of Cameron

To my noble frend mr huntington
('Godfrey of Bulloigne & his great wonders')

Six verses, unpublished.

*FaE 2.9
A presentation inscription, possibly in the hand of the author.

In an exemplum of the first edition (1600) presented to Mr Huntington, the verses possibly imperfect, the page torn away at the foot.

c.1600.

Formerly in the library of John Sparrow (1906-92), literary scholar and book collector. Christie's, 21 October 1992 (Sparrow sale), in lot 133 (not mentioned in the sale catalogue). Sotheby's, 19 July 1993, lot 212, sold to Quaritch.

Facsimile of the inscribed verses in the Sotheby's sale catalogue.

FaE 3

Copy of Canto I, lines 14-21, the description of Gabriel descending from Heaven, here beginning Of silver wings he tooke a shining pair.

In: A folio composite volume of verse, written by or relating to members of the Fairfax family, in various hands and paper sizes, 156 leaves, in modern half-morocco.

In Cochran's sale catalogue for 1837. Purchased from H. Bohn, 26 September 1840.

This MS recorded in Charles C. Bell, A History of Fairfax Criticism, PMLA, 62.1 (1947), 644-56 (p. 645).

FaE 4

Extracts, headed Godfrey of Bulloigne, here beginnng O heavenly Muse, that not with falling Bays.

In: A quarto composite verse miscellany, comprising extracts in English, Italian, and Latin, in various hands, 174 leaves.

Volume V of the collections of Basil Kennett (1674-1715), antiquary and translator.

Early 18th century.
FaE 4.3

Extracts from the first canto. Early-mid-17th century.

In: A folio composite volume of state letters and documents, in various hands, 238 leaves.
FaE 4.5
Three leaves of Fairfax's translation of Tasso, comprising several hundred lines differing materially from the published version, and one page of prose and verse. 17th century.

Formerly among the Fairfax papers at Leeds Castle, Kent. Sotheby's, 5 February 1838 (H. White sale), lot 570. Sotheby's, 17 May 1839 (James Stewart sale), lots 354, to Edwards, and 355, to Upcott: i.e. William Upcott (1779-1845), antiquary and autograph collector. Thomas Thorpe's sale catalogues 1841-44, passim.

FaE 4.8
Copy of the first stanza, in a contemporary hand, on sig. B1r in an exemplum of the printed edition of 1624. c.1624-mid-17th century.

The book owned and inscribed by Lucy Hastings (d.1679), daughter of Sir John Davies and wife of Ferdinando Hastings (1609-56), sixth Earl of Huntingdon. Sotheby's, 9 December 1993, lot 11 (unsold).

Prose

A Discourse of Witchcraft

First published in Miscellanies of the Philobiblon Society, 5 (London, 1858-9), No. 3, ed. R. Monckton Milnes. Edited by William Grainge as Daemonologia (Harrogate, 1882; reprinted in London, 1971).

FaE 5
Copy, probably in three mixed hands, with corrections and alterations in the introduction, imperfect, lacking the first part of the introduction, 32 folio leaves, in half green morocco. c.1620s-30s.

Fairfax sale, 1831, item 142. Subsequently owned by James Crossley (1800-83), author and book collector. Sotheby's, 20 June 1885 (Crossley sale).

Formerly considered autograph, because of the alterations, but there is no evidence here of authorial attention. Edited from this MS in 1858/9 edition.

Facsimile of part of f. 12r in Greg, English Literary Autographs, plate XLVI(c).

FaE 6

Copy of the complete work, together with (ff. 2r, 43r-79r) pen and ink drawings of members of the Fairfax family, witches and their familiars, etc.

In: A tall folio miscellany, in a single mixed hand, compiled by Miles Gale (d.1721), rector of Keighley, Yorkshire, 123 leaves, in half green morocco. Early 18th century.

Later owned by James Crossley (1800-83), author and book collector. Sotheby's, 20 June 1885 (Crossley sale).

This MS recorded but not collated by editors.

FaE 6.3
Copy, 155 large quarto leaves, unbound.

With a title-page: A Treatise on Witchcraft Demonstrated by Facts In the family of Edward Fairfax Esq. Of Fuystone, Yorkshire, 1624. With many curious Plates, Transcribed from an old Manuscript. By Ebenezer Sibley. M. D. 1793 Copied by C. Forrest Sen. Jany 1870.

1870.
FaE 6.5
Copy, in a neat roman hand, with a title-page, ii + 133 folio pages, in contemporary vellum boards with inked panels and corner ornaments. Mid-17th century.

Inscribed (f. 1r) Henry Gale. From the library of the William Watkins Wynn family of Wynnstay.

FaE 7

Copy of the complete work, in a predominantly secretary hand, lacking a title-page but with a lengthy preliminary note about Edward Fairfax in an italic hand, concluding He is accounted a singular Scholler in all kind of Learning. He yet Lives / 1631.

In: A folio composite volume of state tracts and papers, partly relating to Thomas Fairfax (1612-71), Parliamentarian army officer, in various hands, including some printed material, 181 leaves, in modern morocco.

Formerly among papers of the Ingleby family, of Ripley Castle, Yorkshire. In the collection of Roger Charles Anderson, D Litt (1883-1976).

Recorded in HMC, 6th Report (1877), Appendix, p. 362.

FaE 8
Copy of a transcript of the complete work, with a title-page, as With many Curious Plates Transcribed from an Old manuscript by Ebenezer Sibly. M.D. 1793, 55 large quarto-size pages.in 19th-century black morocco. c.1825.
FaE 9
Copy, allegedly neatly transcribed From the Original Copy written with his own hand, with pen-and-ink drawings, prefatory verses, a title-page and index, c.330 octavo pages. Mid-late 17th century.

Sotheby's, 8 June 1898, lot 430, to J. Eliot Hodgkin, FSA (1829-1912), of Richmond, Surrey, engineer and book collector. Sotheby's, 14 December 1993 (Fairfax sale), lot 15, to Spelman.

Facsimile examples in Sotheby's 1993 sale catalogue.

FaE 9.2

Copy, neatly copied out allegedly From the Original Copy written with his own hand, with pen-and-ink drawings, prefatory verses, and a title-page, c.330 folio pages.

Mid-late 17th century.

Sotheby's, 14 December 1993 (Fairfax sale), lot 15, to Spelman.

Facsimile examples in Sotheby's sale catalogue.

FaE 9.4
Copy, with minor annotations by a reader, lacking a title-page or prefatory matter, 128 folio pages. Mid-17th century.

Armorial bookplate of [?]T Rolleyn, 1735.

Sotheby's, 11 July 1996, lot 119, to Studio Librarie. Sotheby's, 20 November 2003 (Robert Lenkiewicz sale), lot 95, to Keith Walls.

Facsimile examples in both Sotheby sale catalogues.

FaE 9.6
Copy of the opening portion of the narrative, Transcribed from an old Manuscript by Ebenezer Sibl[y]. MD 1793, with pen-and-ink drawings and a long index, incomplete, on c.85 quarto pages. 1793.

Sotheby's, 20 November 2003 (Robert Lenkiewicz sale), lot 96.

Facsimile example in Sotheby's sale catalogue.

FaE 9.8
Copy, folio. 17th century.

Later among the MSS of Ralph Thoresby (1658-1725), Yorkshire antiquary and topographer.

Recorded in Ducatus Leodiensis, 2nd edition (Leeds, 1816), Appendix, p. 77, where the editor, Thomas Dunham Whitaker, notes that This was destroyed by a Friend of the Editor, on Account of the foolish and superstitious Tales of which it was composed.

Miscellaneous

Armada, Roccolta di Pasquinate Diverse
*FaE 10
MS volume of various Italian poems and other pieces, said to be the autograph of Edward Fairfax, entitled Armada, Raccolta di Pasquinate Diverse in Diverse Lingue Scritte. c.1610.

Once in the library of James I and afterwards among the papers of the Fairfax family.

Sotheby's, 8 June 1898 (Phillipps sale of Fairfax MSS), lot 390, to Ellis.